The Girl Wih The Secret
by Lil-Miss-DiNozzo78
Summary: A girl close to Booth shows up at his doorstep in the middle of the night. She's hiding a much bigger secret then she lets on. When he finds out can he do anything. Will be B&B. See A/N for more info
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Ok this is my first Bones fic. I posted it on a message board and people seemed to be interested, so I thought I would take my chance at posting it her. It's somewhat A/U and I am aiming for Booth and Bones, don't know when it will happen but I am aiming for it. If you are not a fan of original characters this would be the point to hit the back button and not continue. I am going to see what kind of feedback I get here before posting more chapters. Remember what your mother told you: If you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all.**

**The Girl With The Secret**

_**~1~**_

Hearing the sound of knuckles against his door Booth glanced at the clock. "Go away." He groaned to himself as he shoved the pillow over his head. It was 2:30 a.m. and after a horrible day at work he just wanted to sleep. He sometimes debated whether or not he was paid enough to be shot at all the time. In this case the bullet actually grazed him. It was just a small flesh wound on his shoulder, but still. He was Seeley Booth and far too good-looking for this kind of abuse. Turning over he ignored the knocking hoping it would go away. It continued and after ten minutes he realized that whoever was at the door was not going to go away unless he answered the door. They had better have a good reason to be knocking at his door at this hour. "I am coming." He growled. "You had better have a good reason…" he spoke opening the door and froze. "Mattie?" He hadn't seen Mattie in a while, not since before his brain went all screwy.

"I…" her left eye was swollen shut, and her lip was bloody and swollen as well. "I had no where else to go." A few tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Come in." He spoke running his hands over his face, soaking in the reality in front of him. Mattie Swanson was the daughter of a former Ranger buddy of his. Bradley Swanson. He was a few years older than Booth and had a five-year-old daughter and a wife back home. Then one day Brad got a visit from the Army Chaplin, his wife had been killed in a hit and run; thankfully Mattie was ok.

He took some emergency leave time and headed back stateside. He had a daughter raise, he had no one else that could do it. His parents had both passed away, and Mattie's mom Debbie Williams, was estranged from her family, a drunken father and an absentee mother. Booth stayed in touch with Brad, and even offered to baby sit a few times allowing Brad to have some free time, maybe date, just take a break for a few hours.

Booth soon found himself taking Mattie to random places like the movies, mini golfing, he even braved a Backstreet Boys concert with her one time. Before he knew it, the girl was calling him Uncle B and the name just kind of stuck.

Brad wanted to make sure his little girl had everything she wanted so he stayed in the Army, and things were ok. Then 9-11 happened and soon Brad was called up. Before he left he asked Booth to promise him something, keep an eye out on his little girl, and if he didn't make it back; be there for her.

Brad wouldn't be returning, two and half years into a one-year tour Brad was killed when his Humvee hit an roadside IED. Brad was one of his men, and Booth wasn't going to turn his back on him, no matter what it was. Even though Brad was gone, he Booth would continue to watch his six, by keeping an eye out on his little girl.

Booth cupped Mattie's chin in his hand and stared at her face. "Did that jerk of a boy friend do this to you? I thought you left him? You told me you left him."

Mattie pulled her face away. "It's not that simple Uncle B. It really isn't." her eyes fell to his living room floor. "I'm sorry."

"Where is he now?"

"The apartment in Anacostia." She replied watching him get dressed. "What are you doing? You can't go over there Uncle B! I can fix this! I just – I need somewhere to crash. I didn't know where else I could go." Though she did have money for a hotel, but Mattie really didn't want to be alone, at least not tonight.

He looked right at her. "You had your chance, I should have thrown his punk ass in jail the first time, I will not sit back and let him get away with it this time. He gave you a black eye and busted your lip! There is no way I am going to let him get away with it this time." After he had pulled his jeans on, he slipped on his shoes. "You better be here when I get back." Last time he arrested Riley Mattie ended up bailing him out. No way was Booth going to allow that shit to happen again.

"Please just let me handle this. I am begging you Uncle B!" The girl cried out.

"No, because next time he could kill you! I made a promise to your father before he left for Iraq and I plan on keeping that promise." Booth had a bad feeling about Mattie's boy friend from the moment he met him, and he obviously had reason too not like him. Riley was an abusive jackass.

"Whatever!" She threw her hands up. "Do you whatever you want, you always do."

"See that's where having a badge comes in handy, I can do whatever I want." He growled back at her grabbing his jacket and slamming the door behind him.

When he returned, he felt better knowing that her boy friend was behind bars, however he wasn't happy to find out that there were drugs in the apartment.  
"Matt…" he stopped seeing her sound to sleep on the couch. Finding a blanket he covered her up and placed a kiss on her cheek. "He can't hurt you anymore, you won't have to worry anymore. If he lays one more finger on you; I will kill him!"

~*~*~*~

The smell of bacon filled the apartment, and Mattie opened her eyes, well in this case eye as the other one was swollen shut; looking around she remembered where she was. Taking a few moments she gathered herself before wrapping the blanket around her and walking into the kitchen. "You're making pancakes?" She mused.

Hearing her voice he turned towards her. "If you're cold I can turn the heat up and yeah I am making pancakes. You still like chocolate chip right?"

"I'll be fine." She replied. "Oh…" she stared into the pan, "and bacon."

"You love bacon." He replied. "It's maple bacon."

"When I was 12 yes. Now I am not 12." Mattie shook her head. "You didn't have to make me breakfast Uncle B. I just needed a place to crash for the night. I can go home and eat. I have food at home you know?"

Booth pointed towards the chair. "Sit, you are going to sit down and eat the bacon and pancakes and not argue with me. Besides you and I; we have to talk." He placed a plate of pancakes and bacon in front of her, followed by a glass of milk.

"Is this skim milk?" She questioned.

"Is it what? No. I am a man I don't drink skim milk. It's real milk, Vitamin D. Is it skim milk she asks." Booth laughed it off. "I have never had skim milk in my house, ever."

"Skim milk is real milk uncle B. Just less gross." She pushed the glass to the side. "Do you know how much fat is in that glass of milk? You can get all the same benefits in skim milk without becoming a fat ass."

"Oh yeah because you clearly have to worry about your fat in take." Booth replied taking a bit of the pancake. "Wait you're not saying I am fat are you? Because I am not, I am in great shape."

Mattie pulled the blanket around her even more. "What happened to Riley?" She started to cut up her pancake into very small pieces.

"Riley's in jail where he belongs. He will be there for a while." Booth knew if he was going to ask her it was now or never. "Mattie, are you using drugs?" He locked his eyes on to hers, trying to read her body language.

"What? No! I fucking don't touch that fucking shit! Where the hell do you get off on asking me that crap?" She replied bitterly.

"We found a few baggies of heroine on Riley, plus some cocaine." He eyed Mattie. "Could you also not use that kind of language? It isn't lady like." Her body language was telling the truth, she didn't do drugs but Booth had been an FBI agent far to long to know there wasn't something else going on. There definitely was, he could sense it, but what? That was the million-dollar question.

"That's his business, I don't touch it. Never have and never will. I thought you knew me better than that." She took a single bite of the pancake.

"You aren't lying to me?" He picked up a piece of his bacon.

"NO! I am not lying to you damnit! I don't do drugs, never have, and I never will. I have enough problems that I am not gunna add drugs to the mix." Mattie shouted back. She shoved her plate to the side. "I am going home. Thanks for letting me crash here Uncle B."

"You aren't going home. You can't." Booth looked up at the girl. Her small four foot seven frame staring back at him. She was short in height but packed with muscle. Though Booth was pretty sure a good gust of wind would knock the petite girl over.

"Why the fuck not?" She stood staring right at him.

He cringed as Mattie once again used the F word. "Again, language Mattie, language, such ugly words coming out of such a beautiful girl. Your landlord, you've been kicked out because of the drugs. You can stay here I want you to stay here. Please stay here?"

"I don't want to stay here. I want to go home Uncle B. Why the hell did you have to go over there? You ruined everything! I know you made some stupid promise to my dad, but for fuck sakes I am not a little girl. I can take care of myself." Sighing Mattie fought back tears as she ran her fingers through her brunette locks.

"Oh yeah because you have been doing such a great job of that." He sat as Mattie raged on. "You're staying here and I don't want to hear anything else. I brought some of your stuff. It's down stairs in my Toyota."

"My dad has been dead for a few years now, so you don't have to do this anymore. It's not like he's going to return from the dead and punish you or something. Basically is what I am saying is you're free, your debt to my dad is paid off."

"I made a promise. Now finish your breakfast, please?" He focused on his food. "It was never a debt either. He asked me to keep an eye on you, make sure you were ok, and if he didn't return home, to be there for you. It has nothing to do with a debt."

Mattie sighed, there was no use arguing with him. She wasn't going to win. If letting him quote and quote be there for her was going to shut him up, then for now she would go along with it. "I am really not hungry, I am just going to take a shower. Can I borrow a shirt or something? Please?" Mattie's green eyes focused on him. "Maybe I'll feel better when I take a shower."

"I have a drawer filled with sweatshirts and tee shirts. Third drawer from the bottom pick whatever one you want." He studied her face for a moment. She looked so tired, so beat, most of all lost and broken.

"Thanks." She replied.

"Hey," Booth called out. "I am only doing this because I care. I have known you your whole life, well at least most of it, and I made that promise to your dad. It doesn't matter how long he has been dead; a promise is a promise. Even when you're old and gray I will still keep that promise."

"When I am old and gray you'll be dead Uncle B." Mattie retorted. "I mean you are pushing 60 as it is."

"No way, I am going to out live you." He argued. "I am a fine human specimen and will be just the same years from now. Like I said, I will out live you. And I am not pushing 60. Not even close." The confidence showed in his smile. "You'll see."

"Better hope you do, because I might put you in one of them crooked nursing homes from the talk shows if you don't."

"If it comes down to that, and that's a big if; just make sure I have some chocolate pudding cups." He smiled up at her.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I want to thank everyone who reviewed the first chapter you guys are awesome! They make me smile. This chapter is a bit long, but hopefully it will hold you over until chapter three. I have started it but it will take a while. I hope not too long. But I might be having surgery sooner rather than later, so it depends on that. Again thanks for the reviews it makes me so happy to see the BlackBerry come alive with new reviews.

**The Girl With The Secret**

_**~2~**_

"This is exciting isn't?"

"What is?" Mattie looked over at him, a bit confused. "The car ride?" She asked. "What are you a Labrador retriever, if you want I can roll the window down and you can sick your head out and if you're a good boy I'll talk you to the doggy park and you can pee on all the trees."

Booth chose to ignore the part about the dog. "You. Coming with me to work. You can meet the people I work with. It's exciting! It'll be fun!" Booth grinned.

Mattie stared at him for a few minutes before changing the subject "The red head, strawberry blond, whatever she is… in the photo. It's on your dresser. You and her seem rather cozy."

"That's Bones, we are just friends." Booth reply was quick.

Mattie laughed. "You looked more than just friends in that photo Uncle B. Though what was up with those glasses and those pants? I understood hers, Wonder Woman, that's simple; yours though?"

"What? No. I swear Bones and I are just friends, we work together. I work at the FBI and she works at the Jeffersonian, we just work together. I was a squint." He said explaining his costume, but he could see Mattie was still confused. "For Halloween, I was a nerd."

Mattie shook her head. "Are you sure? There was some serious sexual tension going on."

"In a photo?" he laughed.

"Yes in a photo. She's pretty and you two look cute together. You should totally go for it." She playfully punched his arm. "You only live once Uncle B!"

"Nah, like I said Bones and I are friends. It wouldn't work." He quickly replied.

"But you want it too? Don't you? Seriously Uncle B, I see it in your eyes." A small smile crossed her thin lips.

"Mattie you're crazy. Anyone ever tell you that?" He stopped at a red light. "Bones and I would never work." Though she had hit the head on the nail, he did want something with Bones, he wanted to make it work. Just like in that dream he had while he was in a coma.

"Because you don't want it to? Or you are seriously in denial and you can't see what is right in front of you." She pulled the sleeves of the sweatshirt around her balled fists. "Are all men this clueless?"

"That sweatshirt is pretty big on you." Booth spoke watching her.

Mattie shrugged. "Don't change the subject."

"I wasn't not changing the subject, I just made an observation." The light turned green and they were driving once again.

"You are so changing the subject. You don't want me to talk about the pretty girl in the photo, so you are making a comment on how big this sweatshirt looks on my fat ass."

He laughed. "Matilda Jane Swanson you are anything but fat."

"Dude don't ever call me that. Don't call me Matilda, I hate that, it's Mattie." She made a face.

"Ok Mattie," Booth corrected himself. "You are anything but fat."

"Whatever, it's a figure of speech. Just never, never again use that name. It makes me want to stab myself in the eyes. What were my parents thinking when he gave me that name anyways?"

"It was your grandmothers name. Least that was what your dad told me." Booth shrugged. "There are worse names than Matilda you know?"

"Like Seeley?" She teased.

"Yeah like See…hey, not fair." He pouted.

"You're the one who agreed with me." Mattie childishly stuck her tongue out. "Can we go back to the apartment later, there are a few other things I need, which I am pretty sure you didn't get." Mattie dropped the subject of her name quickly.

"Yeah, sure, how does lunch time sound?" Booth asked.

"Whenever, I would just like to have those items." Mattie pushed some hair behind her ears.

"So when was the last time you were here?" Booth asked pulling into the J Edgar Hoover Building.

"I think when I was 13 or so. You took me on a tour. I can't imagine it's changed much. Maybe more security or something."

"I got a bigger office since then." Booth replied. "It has more windows."

"Well look at you, with big bad FBI self!" She laughed. "Now you have more options when you choose to jump out of the window."

He smiled. "After I show you my office we can go meet Bones." He parked his car and unbuckled.

Mattie unbuckled and followed Booth. "Bones?"

"Yeah Bones, the pretty lady in the picture you saw. Bones!" He held the door open. "You don't have any weapons on you or anything?" Booth asked as they neared the metal detectors.

"I am fresh out Uncle B and I left the AK-47 back at your place, it clashed with my outfit." She sarcastically replied. "Of course I don't, anyways. What kind of name is Bones?"

"That's real funny Mattie." There was no doubt Mattie had her fathers sense of humor. Booth showed his ID to the guard. "She's with me."

Mattie held her arms out as the guard ran a wand over her checking for anything that she shouldn't bring in. When he gave the ok, Mattie continued to follow Booth.

"Bones is her nickname, it's what I call her. If you want you can call her Dr. Brennan." He pressed the up button for the elevator.

"Wait? You're partner is Dr. Brennan, the Dr. Brennan?"

As the elevator doors opened Booth stepped in. "Yeah I thought we just figured the part out?"

"Doctor Temperance Brennan is your partner?"

"Yes, where are you going with this? You sound like a broken record, or a parrot." The doors closed and they elevator began it's trip up.

"I love her books. They're so good." Her jaw dropped. "Wait a second. It's you! You're the one!" Mattie pointed her finger at him. "It's you!"

"What are you talking about Mattie?" Booth stared at her confused.

"You! You're the FBI agent in her book. It's you! Oh. My. God. O-M-G!"

"Well O-M-G!" He mocked Mattie. "It's not me, I'm sorry."

"Denial is not just a river in Egypt Uncle B!" She looked up at him, her hands on her hips.

"It's not, now come on so I can show you my office and then we can go to the Jeffersonian."

Mattie still was not a 100% convinced that the character in Dr. Brennan's book wasn't him, but for now she was going to let it go. "Nice office." She commented, suddenly Mattie felt bad. She had lived in the D.C area long before her father died even after that. Yet Mattie never really came to visit the man she called Uncle B. "You probably think I am a horrible person?"

He stopped and turned around. "Why on earth would I think that?" He looked at her confused.

"I never really call, I don't visit…" she shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't think your horrible for that, I just wish you would let me into your life a little more, maybe I could have stopped that jerk Riley before hand. But the last thing I think you are is horrible. You're 22-years-old, you live you own life; that's all."

"You're a busy man, you probably have a lot on your plate. Like you said, I am 22 and I am an adult, too old to be asking for anyone's helps Uncle B." She matter-of-factly replied.

"I just, I want you to think of me as family; your family. Someone you can go to for whatever reason. I just want you to know you don't have to be afraid to come to me. Tell me whatever you want; I'll listen."

The young girl nodded in reply. "Hey, how is Parker by the way?"

Booth smiled. "Growing, getting bigger each day. He asked about you the other day. Wants to know when you can baby sit him again."

"They do that Uncle B." She laughed. "Maybe if it's ok with Rebecca, I could take him to see a movie. There are some great ones out for his age group. You could come too."

Booth smiled softly. "I'll call her and ask. I am sure Parker would love that. You've always been one of his favorite babysitters."

"Uncle B," she laughed. "I've babysat Parker maybe a handful of times."

"And you're his favorite, or so he says." He grinned, tossing a small ball into the air and catching it in his hand. "Hey you want to see interrogation?"

"That depends, on if it's a visit, or if you are going to turn on a bright light, shine into my eyes, and give me hell…" They stopped in front of his office and Mattie traced her fingers over the name SEELEY BOOTH that was etched into the glass. "Is this in case you forget how to spell it?"

"You're a funny one aren't you? This is my office by the way." He beamed with pride.

"Your name written on the door, oh and your name on your desk; kind of a dead give away. With reason and logic I have come to a well-rounded conclusion that this is your office. I don't need to work for the FBI to figure it out." Her eyes focused on a photo that hung on Booth's wall. "That's you and my dad. You both were so young. Lot less wrinkles."

"What?" He replied. "I don't have any wrinkles."

"It's ok Uncle B, relax, the winkles kind of help balance out the grey in your hair."

Quickly he reached into his desk and pulled out a mirror. "What gray hair. I am only 37, I don't…I don't have grey hair."

Mattie started laughing. "Man, after all these years I still can get you."

He stared at her and placed the mirror back into his desk. "So what do you think?"

"I think I died a woke up in the latest issue of Guns and Ammo, maybe Soldiers of Fortune. But it definitely screams you Uncle B. I like it."

"Soldiers of Fortune?" Booth raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah it's magazine Uncle B. Guns, military, you know that kind of thing."

He cut her off. "I know what it is, Mattie. I just didn't know that you knew about it. I figured you'd be into Teen Pop, Tiger Beat, Cheerleading America."

Mattie laughed. "I haven't read a Teen Pop or Tiger Beat since I was 12 or so. I also use to get Inside Gymnastics, I don't anymore…I canceled it when I was in college."

He smiled, "I still have the copies of that magazine, the ones with you in them, and the one with you on the cover."

"I thought we were going to see the bone lady." Mattie quickly changed the subject.

Booth wasn't at all surprised when she diverted the attention away from the subject of gymnastics. Mattie had not talked about it since she dropped out of the University of Georgia. "Yeah, come on I will introduce you to Bones." He started to exit his office. "She can be a little intense. Over thinks things, has no idea of any thing pop culture, but she's a great person. I know you'll like her."

"I am more worried about if she will like me." Mattie followed Booth back towards the elevators.

"Sure you don't want to see interrogation?" Booth asked one more time. "Of course she will like you why wouldn't she?" He asked.

"A table, some chairs, one of the creepy two way mirrors, really nothing to see." The girl shrugged. "I don't know I can be pretty bitchy sometimes."

"It's part of your charm, it makes you who you are." He patted her shoulder.

"Being a bitch is part of my charm? That's a new one."

"You aren't a bitch Mattie, you just…well sometimes you close yourself off, you're scared of letting people in." Booth made a face. "I am starting to sound like Sweets, that can't be good."

"What does sounding like candy, which is rather weird I might add, have to do with anything?"

"Sweets, Dr. Lance Sweets. He's the FBI shrink." Both matter-of-factly replied.

"You are seeing a shrink? You? Seeley Joseph Booth? Seeing a shrink?" Mattie blurted out.

"No I am not, ok yes I am, but it's not like you think. I go with Bones; we go together."

"Like couples therapy? But you said you were not seeing her. Oh…oh…OH! She's a f*ck buddy! I get it now. You two…" Mattie hit her first against the palm of her hand. "You know…and it's creating tension in the work place so you have to go to couples therapy. Ahhh I see said the blind man to the deaf man, who walked with no legs."

Booth felt his face turn beat red. "Shhh, no! No! Bones is not my f… no she and I are not having sex. How-" He shook his head. "Where did you learn this stuff?"

"I am 22-years-old Uncle B, haven't been a virgin for a while; I am sexually active you know?" Mattie matter-of-factly replied.

His hands went over his ears. "Whoa, more information that I needed to know, also don't say it so loud."

"Uh we are in an elevator, and it's just us, not to worried about anyone hearing." She shoved her hands into the pockets of the large sweatshirt. "You don't need to worry Uncle B, I use protection. I am on the pill!"

"You know this isn't a subject that I feel comfortable talking about with you." The agent held his hands up.

"Did you really expect me to stay a virgin my whole life?" Mattie asked as the doors opened and they stepped out of the elevator.

"Well no but, I just rather not see you in that way. That's all."

"Oh, because then that would mean I am not a little girl anymore and you are in fact old, I mean after all you are pushing 60 Uncle B." Mattie teased and smiled confidently at him.

"How did we get here?" Booth asked holding the door open for Mattie so that they could exit the J Edgar Hoover Building and head towards the Jeffersonian.

"Well we drove here, in that SUV." She point to his black Toyota.

"I mean this conversation. How did he get to this conversation?"

"Oh that, well you were telling me about your shrink and couples therapy with the Dr. Brennan. I suggested that she was your F*ck Buddy and vehemently denied the fact." She waited on the passenger's side as Booth unlocked the doors.

"Because we aren't having- well you know?" He slid the key into the ignition.

"Sex?" Mattie raised an eyebrow.

"Mattie!" Booth was once again embarrassed. "Do you have to use that word?"

"What? Sex? Sex! Sex! Sex! We are both adults here. If you want and it would make you feel better I could also call it the dirty deed, knockin' boots, nookie, playing hide the canola, driving the beef bus into tuna town. Or one that would be rather appropriate for this subject, boning each other." She shrugged.

"Yes legally we are both adults, but I still see you as the little girl with pig tails doing back flips in the backyard." After turning the car on her pulled into the flow of traffic. "Wait did you just say driving the beef bus into tuna town?" The agent made a face.

"That was a long time ago Uncle B. I was what seven or eight-years-old."

"Which is how I would like to remember things. I would rather not talk about sex with the same girl I taught how to ride a two-wheeler. It's creepy."

"Oh so now I am creepy?" Mattie smirked at him, and raised her eyebrow.

"You are not creepy, discussing sex with you, particularly your sex life; that's creepy." He looked over at her for a moment.

"Then we can talk about your sex life…or lack there of it." Mattie smiled proudly. "You are having sex right? I mean the fact you have a son means you have had sex before. Are you still…" again Mattie punched her fist into the palm of her hand.

Booth had to change the topic of this conversation and he had to do it quickly. "So I have been thinking. You should stay with me for a while, until you can find a better place. Not like that dump you've been living in with that jackass."

"It's not a dump Uncle B."

"You live in the ghetto, a neighborhood with one of the heights crime rates in DC. You have money from your father, his survivor benefits; plus your…" he had to approach this one delicately. "From gymnastics. So I mean you don't have to get a place in Georgetown or anything, but you don't have to stay in Anacostia."

"I know I don't, but I like it there, ok?" That part was a lie, a big fat lie. Mattie had tried to convince Riley to move many times, but he refused. A neighborhood like Anacostia no one could notice his side business, but if they moved somewhere else after a while people would catch on.

"Give it a month at my place, look for something else. If you can't find anything then I will let you go back to Anacostia, I will even talk to the landlord for you. I tell him that as long as Riley isn't living with you, there will be no drugs and I will vouch for you. Deal?"

"One month and if I hate it I am free to return to my old place?" Mattie raised an eyebrow in question and pointed her finger towards Booth.

"Like I said I will even vouch for you-"

Mattie quickly cut Booth off. "But? There is always a but."

"You cannot live with Riley, I don't want you anywhere near him and you have to – I want you to call me everyday and would it be so bad to have dinner with your Uncle B once a week? Please? I'll even pay and will let you choose the place."

She stared at him for a bit. "Fine we have a deal. You better hold up to your end of the deal and not pull some kind of backwards FBI trick on me." Mattie growled.

"Would I do that?" Booth questioned.

"I am pretty sure you would, probably have before. It's part of your job, it's who you are." Mattie shrugged her shoulders, "I'm just saying Uncle B."

"I will keep my end of the deal, ok." He glanced over at her and smiled a bit. "I am glad you are here, thought not under these circumstances, but you know what I mean?"

"Yeah I know what you mean. Uncle B, thank you for letting me crash at your place and for offering me the chance to stay."

"You will always be welcomed at my place." He pulled into the lot of the Jeffersonian.

"I know, and that's why I was on your doorstep at three in the morning, well apartment hallway actually. I knew I could come to you, and you wouldn't turn me away." After he stopped the car and turned it off Mattie unbuckled her seatbelt. Mattie followed Booth into the Jeffersonian and stopped. "Wow this place is really cool. I can totally see why you like coming here."

"I'll take you to meet Bones first and then give you the grand tour, ok?"

"So this is where Dr. Brennan finds out how someone died and then she catches the bad guy? Are there dead bodies? I want to see a dead body! Possibly one that is really messed up, eyes falling out, all zombie like. Arrrrrgggg I eat brains." Mattie mocked a zombie with her hands out in front of her. "That would be real cool."

"First off there are no such thing as zombies, and secondly…it's me I catch the bad guys." Booth corrected her. "I am the one with the badge and gun after all."

"Ok, what about the dead bodies? Can I see some? Please?"

"Why would you want to see a dead body?" He looked down at the girl, a bit confused.

"Uhm because the only dead body I ever saw was slutty cheerleader chick on CSI Miami. I want to see a real dead body. It'll be cool. Then I can cross it off my bucket list."

"Your bucket list? Seeing a dead body is on your bucket list? Why?" Booth asked raising an eyebrow and looking towards the young girl.

"Why do you have the things you wanna do on your bucket list?" Mattie asked shrugging her shoulders.

"Because I want to do them before I die."

"Exactly," Mattie replied to him, "and I think seeing a dead body before I bite the big one would be cool."

Shaking his head Booth peaked inside Bones office. "Hey!"

"Booth!" She looked up from her computer. "Hodgins identified the mud found on the victims blanket and traced it to Shenandoah National Park meaning the-"

Booth cut her off. "Was moved – great. Does he know where in the park, because Shenandoah is a pretty big park?"

"He has it narrowed down to a 2 mile radius." Bones grabbed her jacket and a few other things. "Whose she?" Bones asked pointing to Mattie.

"Mattie Swanson," Mattie spoke up. "I love your books, and you are even prettier than that picture of you on Booth's dresser."

"Ok, but I still don't know who you are?" Bones looked at Booth quizzically.

Mattie could see that Booth was struggling with the answer and piped up. "He worked with my dad when they were in the Rangers. He's kind of been watching out for me since my dad was killed by a roadside IED in Iraq five years ago."

Bones nodded her head a bit while staring at the pint size girl in her office. "That's pretty nasty periorbital hematoma you have."

"What?" Mattie asked. "Prepubescent what?"

"No periorbital hematoma." Bones corrected her.

Mattie made a face at Booth she was obviously confused. "Uncle B I don't understand what she is saying."

"She means your black eye." Booth explained. It scared him that he was actually starting to understand Bones.

"Oh, well then why didn't she say that?" Mattie replied. "Yeah I got it from Riley, he's my boy friend. Booth hates him."

Bones nodded. "I did, periorbital hematoma would be the correct term for a black eye. Your boy friend hits you?" She looked up at Booth. "You let her boy friend hit her?"

"No, no I didn't let him hit her. Mattie tell Bones I didn't let him hit you." He begged. "I didn't let him hit her!"

"To be fair, he really didn't. He didn't know. I mean he knew, because Riley did it before but he didn't know…he didn't let Riley hit me." Mattie held her hands up. "He put Riley in jail and if I know Uncle B like I do than Riley has a perorbitaing hemawhatever himself."

"Periorbital hematoma." Bone spoke.

"Yeah one of those." Mattie grinned.

"Yeah great! Excellent, we can talk about it on the way there. Come on Bones, crime scene! Let's go!" Booth clapped his hands together.

"Can I come with?" Mattie's eyes lit up.

"You're staying in the car though." Booth replied as he walked with Bones back to the car.

"What? That's sucks and is so not fair. Come on Uncle B you're raining on my parade." She pouted.

"Well that's me, Special Agent Seeley raining on parades one person at a time. Now come on, lets go." He spoke shuffling both Mattie and Bones towards the door.

Suddenly Angela saw them leave. "Oh wow!" She gasped.

"What?" Wendall looked confused.

"That girl with Booth," she pointed. "That's Mattie Swanson, the Mattie Swanson."

"Can't say I ever heard of her." Wendall replied looking up from the body.

"Mattie Swanson is -- well was gymnast; a real good one. She won the World all-around title in 2003 and could have won the Olympic all-around title in 2004."

"Could have?" Wendall raised an eyebrow in question.

"Yeah poor girl, she was one tumbling pass away from making the Olympic team, when she tore her Achilles tendon on her landing, her Olympic dreams ended in a one minute and 30 second floor routine." Angela recalled. "I remember watching it and crying with her. I felt so bad for her."

"Still can't say I heard of her." Wendall replied.

"What rock do you live under?" Angela walked over to one of the computers on the platform and pulled up a video of her floor routine. "See, it's the same routine she won the all-around title with." Angela stepped back and showed Wendall. "She was really good, like Mary Lou good, like on a cereal box good. She was so cute to watch too. Her routines were always some of the hardest ones."

Wendall stopped what he was doing and looked up at the computer screen. "Wow, I never really pay much attention to the Olympics, expect for hockey. But you're right she is good. I didn't think stuff like that was humanly possible." He watched the video a bit longer.

"You should see her beam routine, it was crazy." She then brought up a video clip of Mattie on the beam. "That beam is only four inches wide, no bigger than a VHS tape." Angela smiled. "I loved watching her, all her routines were amazing she was so good out there and always had so much fun. It's so sad too, her father was in the Army and died in Iraq three weeks before the trials."

"She's so tiny and really, really flexible." Wendall made a face as she did a handstand and then brought her feet over head and placed them in front of her face. "That looks painful. I don't think I would be able to walk after that." He tilted his head to the side. "How does she walk after that?"

"I don't know, but I think it's cool. Wish I knew how to do that, it would definitely help my sex life." Angela mused. "I know Hodgins wouldn't complain." She let a smile cross her lips.

He covered his ear. "Way too much information." Wendall shook his head trying to clear the mental picture that had just formed. "How do you know all of this?" Wendall asked turning his attention back to the dead body, well what was left of it anyway.

"I love gymnastics and figure skating. I can't ice skate and I almost killed myself trying to do a cartwheel, but I love watching it. Girls like Mattie make it look so easy. They make me so jealous. That Olympic all-around title was hers well it would have been hers had she not been hurt. Mattie and other gymnasts like her work their whole life for that one moment, for their shot at Olympic glory."


	3. Chapter 3

"Ok so after we eat we can swing by your place and get what you need, is that ok?" Booth asked the young girl, his arm around her. "Bones is gunna meet us there, and you can meet Sweets."

"Yeah that sounds good." She looked up at him, her hands hidden in the front pouch of the hoodie she was wearing. "Your shrink?"

"Yeah, I kind of invited him yesterday, felt bad for the kid that he was always eating alone."

"Awww Uncle B, that's adorable." She grinned. "You're a good friend."

He just shrugged it off.

"No really that's nice of you."

"That's me Seeley Booth," He waved his hand in front of his hand. "FBI Agent and nice guy."

Hold the door open he allowed Mattie to enter to Royal Diner before him.

Seeing Bones already sitting at a table Mattie made her way to it.

"Hey." Booth smiled and slid in next to Mattie. "I don't know about you," Booth spoke rubbing his hands together. "I am starving."

Mattie giggled a bit. "You ate like a 100 pancakes this morning Uncle B, how can you be hungry?"

"I only had six." He retorted. "And I am a growing boy."

"Six, 100, it's the same thing." Mattie shrugged. "You had a huge breakfast."

"Well seeing has how I had such a huge breakfast and I am starving, you must be really starving since you had all of two bites."

"Not really," Mattie replied reading through the menu. Figuring out what she was going to order Mattie put the menu to the side.

"So you know what you want?" Booth followed Mattie and placed his menu on top of hers.

"Yeah a cheeseburger, fries and a chocolate milkshake." She smiled a bit at him.

It wasn't long before Sweets joined them.

"Sweets, this is Mattie, Mattie this is Dr. Sweets." Booth said making the introduction

Sweets extended his hand and smile. "I know who you are, but I never knew that Booth knew you."

Mattie blushed. "Nice to meet you Dr. Sweets, you're the shrink huh?"

Adjusting his suit jacket a bit before he sat down Sweets nodded. "I am. I can't believe this! I am sitting across from Mattie Larson. I loved your floor routine, your music Riverdance." He smiled.

Bones leaned in towards Booth. "What is Sweets talking about?"

"This," Sweets whipped out his cell phone and soon had a video of Mattie's floor exercise streaming on his phone and showed it to Bones.

She watched the video for a bit. "That's you?" She looked at Booth. "Is that really her?"

Booth could see how it was bothering Mattie, he nodded his head. "Yeah that's her. Hey Sweets think you can put the phone away and leave the fanboying for later?"

"Oh," He frowned noticing the look on Mattie's face. "Yeah, I am sorry."

"Could we just order our food?" Mattie asked softly keeping her head down a bit. Had she known lunch was going to be like this she wouldn't have agreed to come.

"You know after the 1984 Olympics games I wanted to be like Mary Lou." Bones smiled a bit. "But I couldn't do a cartwheel. I almost broke my ankle trying."

"Bones." Booth spoke, shaking his head.

"What?" She asked looking at her partner.

"Lets talk about something else." Booth sighed. His eyes went to Mattie and he could feel his heart breaking for her. He knew it wasn't easy for her.

"Yeah sure." Though Bones wasn't sure why, if she had been as good as Mattie that was all she would want to talk about.

They all placed their orders and Mattie was thankful, it meant she wouldn't have to hear the G word anymore. She could just eat, get past lunch, get her stuff and hopefully spend the rest of the day at her Uncle B's.

"I uhm, can you scoot over Uncle B?" Mattie asked after she finished her meal. "I uhm, I gotta use the little girls room."

"Oh." He quickly wiped his mouth and slipped out of the booth for a moment so Mattie could get past him.

Smiling she paused and kissed his cheek. "Thanks."

Blushing a bit, Booth sat back down.

Once she was out of earshot Bone spoke up. "Why can't we talk about gymnastics? Booth if I was as good as she is that would be all I want to talk about."

"Because it's a sore spot for her." He popped a French fry in his mouth. "She came with in inches of making the Olympic team in 2004, but tore her Achilles tendon on her final floor pass. She was a favorite for the all-around title in Athens, and in a matter of second she lost all of that."

"I didn't – I had no idea." She replied. "I didn't even know you knew her." Bones felt a bit hurt Booth would keep something like that from her. Especially because she could see that Mattie meant a lot to him.

"Didn't think it was important." He replied.

Once in the bathroom Mattie closed and locked the door, and the turned on the water. Taking a deep breath she stuck her finger down her throat and with in seconds everything she just ate was in the toilet. She continued to repeat this process until she couldn't anymore. Flushing the toilet, she cupped her hands under the running water and rinsed her mouth out. She wiped her face and made sure there was no evidence left behind before finally exiting the bathroom and returning to the table. "There was a bit of a wait." She lied as Booth slid out and placed some cash on the table.

"Well lets go get your stuff and take it back to my place. Bones I'll meet you later." He spoke grabbing one last French fry. "Come on squirt." He placed his arm around Mattie as they exited the diner.

"Can I stay at your place after you drop me off? I am kind of tired and want to take a nap." Mattie asked.

"Yeah, sure no problem and don't sleep on the couch, take my bed."

"I don't care where I nap Uncle B, I just want to take a nap." She replied.

"Yeah I know, but the bed is more comfortable." He unlocked the car door for her.

"Ok if I take the bed will you relax? You're a little intense right now Uncle B. It's not real cool. A man your age shouldn't be so intense."

A man his age? He was just going to ignore that comment. "Thank you." Once she was in he closed the door for her and went around to his side and climbed in, "I might be late, so I will leave you money for a pizza or something. There is other stuff in the house, but if you don't want it you can order yourself a pizza."

"I have money Uncle B." She stared at him.

"I know you do, but I am leaving you some anyway." He countered.

Mattie sighed. "Ok Uncle B I love you, I really do but you're…you don't need to do all of this for me. I'm 22-years-old and I can take care of myself. You really don't have to do this. Letting me stay with you is enough. I know you made a promise to my dad, but I think he'd understand if it had its limits."

"Listen, you're like a daughter to me. You have been for a long time so I don't mind. For me…" he paused pulling into traffic and picking up speed. "It's just another day at the office."

"You're a pain in the butt Uncle B." Mattie knew when she wasn't going to win a fight, and this would not be a fight she could win. "So uhm Bones – does she always ask so many questions and is she always so awkward. I mean I like her she seems real cool, but…"

"It's just how she is, give it time once she warms up to you the two of you will be fine." He replied. "Can I ask you something and you won't get mad?"

Mattie closed her eyes and sighed. "Even if I say no I know you still will, so ask."

"Why don't you-" he thought for a moment. "Why is talking about gymnastics so hard for you?"

"Because I failed. Would you want to talk about the biggest failure of your life which millions of people saw live on TV? Hell its even on youtube for those who forgot." Mattie growled.

Finding a safe place Booth pulled the car over. "You did not fail. Do you hear me? You did anything but fail. You were at the top of your sport for three years, two of those on the senior level. You didn't fail. How many people can say they were a world champion? Huh? How many people can say they were the junior national champion for a year and back to back senior national champion?" Booth asked.

"I worked my ass off Uncle B, eight hours a day six days a week. Sometimes I spent 12 hours in the gym just so I could go to the Olympics. My dad stayed in the Rangers and worked his ass off so I could have that dream…" there was a long paused. "My dad died so I could have that dream and I failed. I let him down. He is dead never coming back and I couldn't even do the one thing expected of me." The tears rolled down her cheeks. "I failed him, I failed myself, I failed my fans, I failed the sport, I just failed."

He reached across and pulled her into a hug. "Please trust me when I say you didn't fail. You didn't let your father down. He loved you so much and no matter what he was always so proud of you. You never failed him, I don't think it would be possible for you to fail him; ever." He held her a bit longer.

"Well he's not here for me to ask is he?" Mattie bitterly questioned him.

"If he was he would agree with me." Booth broke the hug and used his thumb to dry her tears away. "You will never be a failure; ever. Ok? You're a world champion Mattie. That's far from failure." He stared into her eyes. "I don't see you as that, and I know if your old man was here he would kick your ass for thinking like that." He kissed her forehead.

Wanting to drop the subject Mattie nodded her head. She wasn't a 100% convinced but she didn't want to talk about it anymore. "Can we go get my stuff please?"

He nodded. "Yeah come on." He pulled the SUV back into traffic heading towards Mattie's apartment.

She was silent for a bit and then finally spoke up. "Do you really think of me that way?"

"What way?" Booth asked a bit confused his attention focused on the road.

"As your daughter?"

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it. I basically watched you grow up. It would be hard not to think of you that way." Booth confessed.

"Is it fair to Parker?" she asked.

"You aren't taking anything away from Parker. He will always be my son and my number one priority, but you're up there too." He cast her a soft smile. "Your dad might be gone, but you're not alone. You have me and you always will."

The girl managed to crack a small smile it was nice to know you weren't alone. "Thanks Uncle B."

He soon managed to weave his way through the DC traffic and pulled up in front of her apartment. "Do you want me to come in?"

Mattie shook her head. "It won't take me long, you can work or whatever it is you FBI people do."

He laughed. "If you need anything, just come and get me ok."

She nodded exiting the vehicle. "I will. Thanks Uncle B." she headed into her apartment packing some clothes, two notebooks, her laptop, shampoo and other such items. She also grabbed her teddy bear, the one given to her by her father the day she was born. There was no way she was letting go of that.

Hearing the back door open Booth looked up. "That was fast."

"I told you. I only had little bit to get." She climbed back in and buckled up.

"Then lets go to my place." He smiled backing out and soon pulling out of the complex. "You really like living here?" He asked as he pulled on to a side street. "It's such a dump."

"Home is what you make of it. It's good enough for me." Again she was lying. Mattie knew she hated it, but if she admitted that to him he wouldn't let her return and she didn't want to be a burden on him.

"I guess you're right." The side street he was driving on finally lead them to a busier main street.

Mattie rested her head against the window as they drove. "Just so you know, tonight I sleep on the couch. You're the one who worked all day. I am small and I fit on to your giant couch with no problem. It is actually pretty comfortable for me."

"You are sure, because I can handle the couch as well." Booth looked over at her for a few moments and then brought his attention back to the road.

"Positive." She grinned. "Cross my heart."

"Ok only if you are sure." He smiled and patted her shoulder.

The good thing about the drive from Mattie's apartment to his was that it was quick and he could take the back roads avoiding most of the traffic. Making a quick U-Turn Booth pulled in front of his apartment and was soon helping Mattie with her stuff. "Ok I shouldn't be too late, but if I am I will call." He spoke as they headed up the stairs. "If you don't want anything in the house, like I said I am leaving you some money for a pizza." He unlocked his door and picked up one of her bags. "Just make yourself at home. Ok kiddo?"

She nodded her head a few times. "Sounds good." She placed one of her bags down and plopped herself on the couch. "Thanks for everything Uncle B."

He nodded with a huge smile. "Anything for you." He spoke. "Ok I will see you later." He kissed the top of her forehead. Crossing the living room floor he stopped at the door. "I am just a phone call away."

"I know, now get back to work before they fire you." She smirked turning the TV on. "Oh and be safe ok."

"I will." Closing the door he headed down the stairs and it was off to work.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: WARNING: This chapter has mentions of sexual assault. If this bothers you, you may not want to read. Comments are my friend and they make me feel better. After the real, real bad health news I got this week I could use a few smiled. Peas =)**

Knowing she was not going to eat much, actually she was not going to eat at all; Mattie opted to use her own money to buy the pizza. She didn't feel right throwing away slices that he had paid for. Once the pizza arrived, she took out a few pieces and tossed them in the trash leaving the rest for Booth when he returned home. Not wanting to be caught, she took out the trash and replaced it with a new bag. Mattie had been doing this long enough that she knew all the tricks and trades of the game.

Still resting on the couch Mattie pulled out her laptop and was soon on the internet. She did her usual rounds of checking her e-mail, her Facebook, and Twitter accounts before finally going to a web page that she would often visit many times a day. It was a pro-ana site. A site where other girls like her came together to share weight loss tips, offered advice for those going into recovery, or talk to girls just looking for a shoulder to cry on. Mattie, who used a handle that would keep fans and people who might know her from identifying her; was one of the more popular members on the site.

The site was like a drug for her, much like the disease was as well. Mattie needed it she had to visit the site at least once a day. Mattie needed to surround herself with her "friends" as much as possible. With her disease, or as she liked to call it Ed Mattie knew if she ate she had to get rid of it. She couldn't keep it in her. She felt dirty and disgusting if she did. Mattie was far from stupid, she knew the dangers of what she was doing, but for her it was a risk she was willing to take. She was willing to die to be thin.

After chatting on the site for about an hour or so, she closed the lid of her laptop and pulled out the first of her two journals and started to write. "_So I am staying with my Uncle B, it's not half bad, definitely not as bad as I thought it would be. We went out to lunch today. Me, him, his partner Bones and, his shrink Sweets or Sweats or something like that. I had to eat, especially because I didn't eat breakfast. So I ordered a cheeseburger, fries and a milkshake. God I felt like such a fat pig eating all of that, with each bite I could feel myself getting fatter, and fatter, and fatter. I was the fattest person there. Everyone was staring and pointing at me. I could hear them calling me fat. I know I am fat ok! I can see it when I look in the mirror. So stop reminding me how fat I am. After I was done eating I knew if I kept that toxic crap inside me I would get so much fatter. I went to the bathroom and purged. I purged every single once I could. It felt so good. It was such a great feeling getting all that out of me. I felt like a new person. I still felt fat, but a fat new person. Thankfully Uncle B didn't catch on. I told him there was a line at the bathroom. If he knew he would flip. He would go all FBI on me and lock me away. Make me eat and make me be even fatter than I already am. I hate being such a huge whale. I hate that I can't be thin and pretty. I want it so bad. I hate how ugly, fat, stupid, and worthless I am. I hate that I am such a failure I can't even be skinny. Anyway he left money for a pizza that I am so not eating. There are too many calories in that and I don't need them. I paid for the pizza myself and threw away four pieces to make it look like I ate. I am leaving the rest for him. One day I swear I will be thin and I will be pretty. I promise you." _She finished up and closed the first journal before pulling out the second one and looking through it. There wee various pictures of models, thin girls; some so thin you could see all their bones. Mattie had drawn a picture of a very large girl and wrote ME above it, and then glued next to it was one of the real skinny girls, above that she wrote WHO I WANT TO BE.

Closing the second journal she held it closer to her a few tears rolling down her face. "I can do this. I will not fail. I can be thin." She spoke to herself.

Mattie was far from fat, for a girl her height four foot seven she should weight about 88lbs, Mattie weighed in at about 68lbs. Twenty pounds under, her weight was dangerously low and yet it continued to drop. However when Mattie looked in the mirror she didn't see that, in her mind she was 100 some odd pounds plus. Until she didn't see that image Mattie's weight would dangerously spin out of control unless someone stepped in and helped her.

**~*~*~*~*~*~**

Bones looked over at Booth, she sat on her couch tossing a baseball up into the air and catching it. "How come you never mentioned Mattie before?" She tried to hide how hurt she was. "Cam knows about her."

"Because Cam met her when she was younger." Booth nonchalantly replied. "I didn't think it would be such a big deal." The ball remained steady in his hand now. "I am sorry. I didn't do it on purpose." He had been an FBI agent long enough and he could see how hurt Bones was. "I really am sorry."

"How do you know her?" Bones questioned, she remembered hearing Mattie say something, but at the time she had not really been paying attention.

"Her father and I were in the Army together, he was a fellow Ranger. He took me under his wing during my first few months." Booth leaned into the couch. "While he was serving his wife and Mattie were in a car accident. Mattie's mother didn't make it. He returned to the states to take care of her. When my tour was done, I kind of helped him out here and there. You know? I would baby sit her so he could go out on a date, or just have a night to himself. Sometimes I even took her to the zoo for the hell of it. If it hadn't been for her father I might not have made it through those first few months. It was the least I can do for him. I even took her to a Backstreet Boys concert one time. For me it was torture, but seeing how happy it made her; well after that it wasn't so bad."

Bones couldn't help but smile. It was that side of him. The side that loved people unconditionally that she like so much. He had such a huge heart, something she wished she could have. He could just open up his heart and let people in and he wasn't worried. She on the other hand wouldn't dare try it. "Where is her dad now? If my daughters boy friend was hitting her, I would probably break everyone bone in his body."

Booth was silent for moment. "He and Mattie were doing real good for a while. I mean real good. He was a reservist in the Army and worked at a body shop as well. Then 9-11 happened and he was called to active duty. He was only suppose to be over there for one year, but then two and half years later, the humvee he was riding in hit an IED. He never made it out."

Bones nodded. "Yeah she said something about that earlier."

"He dies just weeks before the National Championships and right before the trials was his funeral." Booth sighed.

"Is that why she doesn't like talking about her Gymnastics?"

"Partly. Mattie thinks she failed him, she thinks she failed everyone. I told her she didn't and he was proud of her no matter what, because he was. He was so proud of her Bones. He bragged about her all the time. She was no doubt his pride and joy."

"He had every right too. She is good, very good. Not many people can do that." Bones spoke truthfully.

"After the injury she took some time off to heal and recover. Soon she received a full ride to the University of Georgia. They have had the best women's gymnastics program in the country for years. The won the NCAA title four years in a row. Two of those years Mattie was on the team. After her sophomore year she never went back. I still don't know why. It wasn't like she was doing bad at all, she had a few NCAA national titles, was one of the top ranked gymnasts. Mattie just didn't want to do it anymore. Then along came Riley. I knew he was bad news from the start. I never liked him. This wasn't the first time he hit her. I should have thrown his ass in jail the first time. Mattie begged me not too, and well it was hard to say no, so I didn't. Biggest mistake of my life he's in jail now, and if I have my way he will be staying there a very long time. I don't want him anywhere near her."

Bones smiled seeing and hearing how much Booth cared about Mattie. "She seems like a very nice girl."

"She's the sweetest person you'll ever meet. There is not a mean bone in her body."

"Bones can't be mean Booth-."

Booth cut her off before she could go on. "She just has to get to know you better and you will see. Maybe tomorrow I can bring her with me again and you two could have lunch together or something."

Bone shook her head a bit. "I don't know Booth I am pretty busy around here. I might not have the time, if something comes up-"

"Bones! Its just lunch I am not asking you to take her to the mall or anything."

"Why would we go to the mall? It's crowded and it smells funny." Bones retorted. "And I highly doubt clothes wise, that we have anything in common."

"Would you just please have lunch with her? I really want the two of you to get to know each other. Especially if she is going to be staying with me for a while."

"I don't know, I will see. I won't know until tomorrow." She quickly replied.

"But you will consider it right?" He pleaded.

"I will consider going to lunch with Mattie if I have the time, yes."

Booth smiled. "Thanks Bones! You're the best!"

"I didn't promise, if I have time Booth." She didn't want him getting her hopes up.

"It's better than a no."

Now she was going to feel bad if she couldn't have lunch with Mattie. Bones could obviously see this was very important to him and she didn't want to hurt his feelings. "I am glad you are happy." Was all she could think of to reply.

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

It was about 8:30 p.m. when he finally got home. Walking through the door, he saw Mattie lying on the couch watching TV and a pizza box on the coffee table. "Is there any left?"

"Yeah," she replied. "By the way I didn't feel right using your money so I used mine. Be mad at me all you want. What is done, is done."

Grabbing a slice he folded it up and took a bite. "You didn't have to do that you know." Came is garbled up reply.

"Don't talk with your mouth full Uncle B, that's disgusting." Mattie retorted.

Swallowed the bite of pizza he repeated himself. "You didn't have to do that you know."

"Oh well, I did." She replied not missing a beat.

He turned toward the TV. "What are you watching?"

"Children of the Corn the reality show."

"For real?" Booth asked.

"No, not for real; but close. It's called 19 Kids and Counting. This woman had 19 kids, all of them biologically hers." Mattie stated. "All of their names start with the letter J. It's kind of scary. These kids are the closest you will come to the real children of the corn. I mean this is seriously one fu- messed up family." She spoke catching herself.

"Nineteen kids? Nineteen?" He looked over at Mattie.

"One-nine, yes 19 kids. Why anyone would do that is beyond me. I don't get it. I mean she probably doesn't have to push anymore. I bet she can just stand up and the baby drops out. I can see her all of the sudden she stands up, this baby drops down and she's all ta-dah! It's kind of like pulling a rabbit out of a hat."

Booth made a face at the image she just formed in her head. "That's gross Mattie. Really gross."

She turned and looked at him, the remote in her hand. "She had 19 children Uncle B! All of them hers, think about. After a while it probably gets like silly putty down there." She turned back to the TV. "Maybe I don't know. I don't plan on having 19 kids, heck I don't even want one."

"Again with the graphic images. I am trying to eat here." He pulled a face. "And why don't you want a kid?"

"Poop. I hate poop. The smell, the color, and the texture. I hate poop. I don't want to touch poop. Babies poop. They poop and fill up their diapers with poop and then I would have to touch it. Some people don't do Mondays. Me…I don't do poop. Nope. Mattie Swanson is a poop free kind of girl."

"Yeah but it doesn't last forever." He retorted finishing up the first slice and reaching for another.

"One day of poop is too much for me Uncle B." She replied her eyes focused on the TV.

"You shouldn't rule out kids. You'd be a great mother."

"How do you know that? How does anyone know that?" Mattie sat up and looked at him. "Why do people say that kind of shit?"

"You have a great personality, and a warm heart." He replied.

"Oh yup totally qualified to have children with a resume like that!" She stood up. "In fact I think I will find some random guy and get started on that right now. Time to make the babies!" She mocked the famous Dunkin' Donuts commercial.

"Sit down!" Booth pointed to the couch.

"But I have to be a mother because apparently having ovaries, a warm heart and a great personality means I am qualified." She sarcastically replied.

"I didn't mean right now." He sighed.

"If not now? Then when?" She crossed her arms over her chest.

"When you find the right guy."

"Oooooh, ok so that's how that works. Great personality; check. Warm heart; check. Ovaries; check. The right guy; don't have one. Guess I gotta put the baby making on hold." She rolled her eyes and sat back on the couch. "Newsflash Uncle B just because I am a female doesn't mean I automatically want to have children. It also doesn't mean I would be a great mother. Look at Courtney Love, she's a woman and she's a horrible mother, the same goes for Britney Spears. Wanting a child and being a great mother isn't encoded into the female DNA. Life doesn't work like that."

"Ok, ok. I get it. You don't want to have children." He replied shaking his head.

"Good I am glad." Mattie shook her head.

"So what did you do while I was gone?" Booth asked changing the subject.

"I napped for a while, surfed the web, watched some TV, and knocked over a liquor store."

"WHAT?" He shot her a look.

"I am kidding. I didn't do much of anything. In fact I fell asleep on the couch doing a whole lotta nothing. Oh and I flamed a Sarah Palin message board. That was pretty fun actually."

"Flamed?" He asked.

"Yeah it's when you visit a site, in my case one for Sarah Plain, and you post all kinds of stuff that ticks people off. Like me, I posted all kinds mean stuff about Sarah Palin to piss her supporter's off. So much for that warm heart huh?"

"Why would you do something like that?" He asked.

"I dunno 'cause I don't like her and it was fun." She shrugged. "Maybe I am just jealous I can't see Russia from my backyard."

"You don't even have a backyard."

"And there lies my dilemma." Mattie replied in a matter-of-factly tone.

Booth shook his head reaching for what would be his third slice of pizza. "You sure you don't want anymore?" He once again folded it up and took a bite.

"It's all yours." Mattie smiled her head resting on the arm of the couch.

"So tomorrow you are going to lunch with Bones."

Mattie bolted upright. "WHAT?"

"Tomorrow, if Bones as time you and her are going to lunch together." Booth smiled proudly.

"One I can find my own dates Uncle B, two I like me dates to be boys." She glared at him. "Why would you go and do something like that. I have plans tomorrow."

"It's not a date Mattie, and I did it because I would really like it if you and Bones got to know each other. Besides I think you can use a strong female influence in your life." He raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? What kind of plans?"

"I don't know Uncle B, it really doesn't sound like a good idea. Also I have been doing just fine without a female influence in my life, so I don't think I need one right now." Her eyes stayed focused on him. "I was going to the gym. I didn't go today, so I was going to go tomorrow." The fact she wasn't able to hit the gym today was driving her nuts. That meant she had to spend an extra hour in her sauna suit, covered up by her sweats while running on the treadmill.

"Can't you do that after lunch. It's not like the gym is going to go out of business or anything."

Mattie rolled her eyes and let out a loud annoyed sigh. "You won't shut up about this until I agree will you? You're like a dog. Dig! Dig! Dig!"

"Nope!" He gloated. "I am going to continue to annoy you and pester you until you say yes."

"Fine! Fine! I will go to lunch with Dr. Brennan are you happy?" Mattie asked.

"I am ecstatic!" He grinned finishing up the slice of pizza. "One more thing." Whether Mattie liked it or not, Booth was going to get her to talk. "Why did you leave college?"

Mattie grew real quiet. "I really rather not talk about that Uncle B. Please?"

"Well that's too bad." Booth was going to get to the bottom of this if it killed him.

"Well you'll be sitting there a real long time, because I am sure as hell not telling you. We had enough bonding talk for one day." There was no way in hell she was going to have this conversation with him. He was fooling himself if he thought he could get her to talk.

"I just want to understand why you gave that up. That's all. Mattie you had a full ride, and suddenly after two years you just stopped. Was it your injury?"

"No it wasn't the injury." She growled.

"Then what was it?"

"IT WAS NONE OF YOUR FUCKING BUSINESS UNCLE B!" She shouted. "NO DROP IT!"

He was definitely caught off guard by that reaction, and once the initial shock wore off, worry started to set in. "Mattie please," he begged her. "Talk to me. If something happened-"

"Nothing happened ok." She choked back tears. "Nothing happened because thankfully someone walked in before it could actually happen."

Booth replayed the words she spoke over in his head, doing his best to analyze them. Then it sank when. "Mattie…"

Mattie reached up and dried some tears. "It didn't happen, it was close I mean real close. But one of his frat buddies walked in and he stopped."

"Did you tell anyone?" He moved over to the couch. "You should have called me."

"No, who would I tell. Besides his fellow frat buddies took care of him." Mattie looked over at Booth. "What the hell could you have done?"

"Locked his ass in jail. Just like I did with Riley." He replied.

"Well he didn't do anything so he wouldn't have been in jail real long." Mattie spoke.

"It is still attempted rape." He was furious. Furious that someone would do this and, furious he was just now finding out about it. "You said his frat buddies took care of him? How?"

"He spent almost two weeks in the hospital, and four days in ICU." Came her reply.

"Why Mattie? Why would you not tell me this?"

"I was embarrassed. I felt stupid ok? Now can we please talk about something else?" Mattie begged him. "Please?"

Booth was pissed she didn't let him in, and that for two years she had been keeping this from him. "I am going to go take a shower."

"Reason number two why I didn't want to tell you. I knew how you would react. You would react just like you are doing now." Mattie snarled.

"How else do you expect me to react?" Booth bellowed. "You were almost raped, and for two years. Two damn years you have kept this from me. I am just now finding out about this. Why the hell will you not let me in? How long have I known you? Just let me in?" Booth closed his eyes for a moment, running his fingers through his hair. "How far?"

"I had my reasons damnit. It's my life for crying out loud. If I wanted to keep it to myself I can!" Mattie shouted back. "Why should I let you in damnit? You'll just die on me! They all do. My mom, my dad, gymnastics, who is to say you won't. I can't do that. I can't open up my heart like that anymore. I can't feel that kind of pain. I can't let you in; I am sorry." Tears rolled down her cheeks. "How far what?" she asked through sobs.

Seeing her like this was killing him. "How far did he get?" Booth asked calmly.

"He had me pinned to the bed and was about to…he was you know, when the door opened and he got caught."

Now his anger was replaced by the feeling that he had to throw up. Sitting back down next to Mattie Booth pulled her into a hug. "I am not going to die on you Mattie. I promise you. I am not going anywhere; ok?" He held her.

"How do you know that? You get shot at for a living. It only takes one bullet. It only took one drunk for my mom, and one IED for my dad. So how do you know?"

"Because I am Seeley Booth and it will take more than one bullet." He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head.

"Promise?" Mattie asked him still sobbing a bit.

"I promise." He replied and broke the hug. "I promise I am not going anywhere."

"Actually yeah you are." Her tears had stopped falling. "To the shower, because you stink." She laughed a little, as she did her best to lighten up the tension in the room.

"Thanks." He smirked. "Don't be afraid to talk to me ok squirt. Please."

Mattie nodded watching him stand to his feet. "Ok."

He kissed the top of her head once more. "I won't be long."

"Ok stinky." She smiled as best as she could. Once he was gone and she heard the shower turn on Mattie pulled out her journal. The one that had 'My Friend Ed' on the cover. The same one she wrote in earlier that day. "_Uncle B knows. He knows what happened back at school. Now he will never look at me the same way again. I am such a fat and ugly worthless piece of shit. I wish I was dead or never born._"


End file.
